Valid passport. No older than ten years and with a minimum validity of three months beyond your planned stay in Schengen. It must have at least two blank pages in order to be able to affix the visa sticker.

Travel Itinerary. A description of your trip to Europe, your purpose of travelling, which places are you going to visit in Europe, the time frame and all the personal data.

For Minors:

Either birth certificate / proof of adoption / custody decree if parents are divorced / death certificate of parent

Letter of consent from parents, including passport copies of both parents/ legal guardian

Where to Submit the Tourist Schengen Visa Application?

You will have to lodge your Tourist Schengen Visa application at the embassy / consulate / visa center of your main destination in the Schengen Area.

By main destination, we mean:

When visiting only one Schengen state, submit your application at the embassy / consulate / visa center of that country.

When visiting more than two Schengen states, submit your application at the embassy / consulate / visa center of the country:

In which you will be spending more days

In which you will step in first, since you plan to spend an equal amount of days in each.

Pay attention to how the authorities of your main destination have regulated visa submission in your country. In bigger countries, visa submission is regulated through jurisdictions. Make sure to apply at the embassy, consulate or visa center of your destination country, under the jurisdiction of which the area where you live falls.

When to Apply for a Tourist Schengen Visa?

Submit your Tourist Schengen Visa application at least 15 calendar days prior to your planned journey to the Schengen Area. This is the latest you can file your application. On the other hand, the earliest you can apply for a Tourist visa to the Schengen Zone, is three months before your trip.

How long does it take to receive the visa?

It is advisable to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa at least 2 weeks prior to the planned trip. The Embassy Consulate will then reply in 10 working days as common (or less as usually occurs), the time taken to proceed all the documentation and the travelers request. Depending on the situation, proceeding time might take up to two months if there is something extraordinary with the individual case or any unusual political situation is on the go.

How long is the visa valid for?

Tourist visa is commonly valid for stays no more than 90 days. If you will be traveling a lot and not only in one Schengen country it’s recommendable to fill in the “multiple entry” gap in the application form. This way you will be able to enter and leave Schengen Zone as you please for the amount of time allowed on your visa issued.

Can I extend a Tourist Schengen Visa?

A Tourist Schengen visa can be extended only in some very specific occasions, as:

Late Entry

Humanitarian Reasons

Force Majeure

Important Personal Reasons

However, remember that the chances to extend your Schengen visa are very low. In order to get a tourist visa extension for any of the reasons given above, your application needs very strong arguments.